WACA will remain 'home of cricket'

This is despite plans to hold major matches at the new Perth Stadium.

The 60,000 seat multi-purpose stadium is expected to hold One-Day Internationals, Twenty20 matches and possibly some Tests when it is completed in early 2018.

“The WACA is the home of cricket in Western Australia,” said Waldron.  “And will continue to be the home of cricket in Western Australia.

“The construction of this stadium – a 60,000 seat stadium with the ability to play cricket here and the flexibility to hold big matches here – the bigger Tests, one-day internationals, World Cup fixtures, T20 competition.

“I’m sure once people come along to this stadium for the big games of cricket they’ll want to come here.

Waldron noted the first three days of the third Commonwealth Bank Ashes Test being sold out as a reason for high profile matches to be held at the new stadium.

“In the future, if we could get big Test matches, if we could get 60,000 watching a Test I think that’s a good thing for cricket and I think it’s a good thing for the people of Western Australia," said Waldron.

The traditionally hard and bouncy WACA pitch has long been a fast bowler’s paradise and while Mr Waldron said he wants the Perth stadium wicket to be as close to the WACA deck as possible, Australia batsman George Bailey, who inspected the site on Wednesday, said it was important for wickets around Australia to preserve their identity.

“I think it’s great when grounds have got their unique characteristics and they retain that,” said Bailey, speaking from the exact point where the new drop-in wicket will be laid.

“But I imagine that if the wickets are being grown on site or close to it and using the same clay then you’d get a wicket that would be remarkably similar. Historically it has been a pretty good fast bouncy wicket and I’m sure this one will be no different.

In its current state, in the middle of a red-dirt, dusty construction site, some imagination was required.

“It looks a bit like an Indian wicket so I think it’ll turn a little bit,” joked Bailey. “Hopefully nothing like the WACA wicket come Friday.”